Artifacts, my small collection.

[hunter63]

In anticipation of FVR generous prize, I sorta mounted my small collection, leaving room for the additions.

I have picked up two of the points, and was given the others over the years.

I gotta tell you the shadow box thing was a real PITA, and I still not happy with it. (I can see another woodworking project in the near future.

I did pick up the other pieces, an ax/adzes, grinding mortar, and what I beleave is the top of a bow drill.

For you knappers, I did notice the the points appear/feel to have a round side and a flat side, do y'all find this in your work?

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

Middle point on third row I have been told was Hixton "suger quartz".

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
Need practice in keeping shadows out of the pic's.

[crashdive123]

Need practice in keeping shadows out of the pic's.

Well, it is a shadow box right?

Looks very nice H63.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

Very nice display. A statement of your respect and link to the past. It says much.

[Camp10]

Nice display!

[hunter63]

Well, it is a shadow box right?

Looks very nice H63.

Thanks guys, seems cool to hold something that is hundreds and maybe thounds of years old, a usefull tool, and wonder about the story they could tell.

Crash, after seeing the large collection you posted here a while back, I have a whole new appreciation on the "Art of Shadow Boxes".
DW laughed at me,...she is the Craft-er....Then helped.

I have been told that my lower field was a good spot for picking up points, spent some time looking around after a rain and after the chisel plow, lots of flint/chert pieces, but no points ....Yet.

[Rick]

Those are A Okay in my book. You wonder how many hands looked them over, how many deer any one of them might have harvested. Lot's of stories there, no doubt.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

I forgot to sign rep when I sent it but preserving history is a noble persuit deserving of recognition. I look at things and think on them, this display exercises my imagination. Thanks.

[hunter63]

I forgot to sign rep when I sent it but preserving history is a noble persuit deserving of recognition. I look at things and think on them, this display exercises my imagination. Thanks.

And thank you, I am always interested in our history, and nothing serves the purpose better than to try it, use it, hold it and think about all the work and uses something has.
This applies to objects, methods and even our beliefs. Kinda why I'm here.......

[Rockgod1619]

Great collection, Hunter! Imagine the stories those arrowheads could tell!

[randyt]

that's a very nice collection. I had a small collection at one time but somebody wanted it in a bad way and it disappeared.

[Justin Case]

I think it looks GREAT ! Thanks for sharing,, and I agree, If only those artifacts could talk ,,

[hunter63]

For you knappers, I did notice the the points appear/feel to have a round side and a flat side, do y'all find this in your work?

I don't know I any of you that do fine knapping saw this, but I was wondering if you found this to be true?

[randyt]

probably due to a shard being spalled off a boulder and then pressure flaking is used to thin the rounded side. only dabbled in knapping

[your_comforting_company]

You know what gets under my skin?

When someone has a collection of thousand year old points and the sell them for 50 bucks. My bro-in-law can be pretty stupid sometimes. Something so sacred and special to be pawned off for a few bucks. I guess merit has no place in some peoples life and all they really care about is the almighty dollar.

That's a VERY nice collection H63, and FVR's points will look right at home.

To answer your question, I have found lots of points locally to have one (almost) flat side. I think the answer lies in the quality of the stone, and what it was spalled with. Sometimes you can drive a nice symmetrical flake from a spall, but most times I take what I can get, and make what the rock wants to be. If a blank is flat on one side, I like to eat away at the other to give it balance and concavity. It has something to do with the flight and balance of the arrow. In some cases, it's not such a big deal but most times I try to maintain the concavity and symmetry.
Many of the points we find that don't have the symmetry, I would gamble a guess, were made by a less experienced knapper. Everyone has to start learning at the beginning, and that is probably what you have found. Since we've had a few centuries to understand the physics, physical properties, materials, and tools, nowadays even a beginner can make nice symmetrical-ish points.

Maker of Fire might be able to better answer that question with facts rather than assumptions as I have, but that is my take on it. There are some basic things we look for in a "quality piece" and so did the original makers. If one doesn't match up to at least that level of "quality" I think it is safe to assume the maker was not an expert.

[Justin Case]

He must need money more than he needs arrowheads, ?

[your_comforting_company]

yeah... he could get a JOB instead...

[hunter63]

You know what gets under my skin?

When someone has a collection of thousand year old points and the sell them for 50 bucks. My bro-in-law can be pretty stupid sometimes. Something so sacred and special to be pawned off for a few bucks. I guess merit has no place in some peoples life and all they really care about is the almighty dollar.

I agree, but on the other hand, I have approached the guy at our museum, for comments, identification, and possible donation, thinking more people could enjoy them.

Surprisingly, at least to me, was basically a butte chewing, about how I should not have picked them up, I have "destroyed the chain of evidence" so to speak, only trained a archaeologist is qualified to handle, catalog and display them. Larger pieces were picked up in a dried up river bed, on the only summer is recent memory, that it was possible.

I can appreciate the line of thinking, not wanting to destroy burial sites, and loss of reference by moving the pieces.

At the same time, I am wondering how much time he would have available to go looking, when your spending so much time being full of one's self.

Those of you that are keeeping the skill and art alive are to be commended.

[Justin Case]

I had a neighbor that was an avid "point" hunter, he had one bedroom devoted to showing his finds, every wall was completely covered with displays like yours, and, there were tables set up loaded with trays of them, and storage totes with arrowheads and spear points in them , He knew where to find this stuff , he said they used to go out there with quads and collect stuff every weekend, untill he got Cancer, anyway, he had tons of that stuff.

[rudyumans]

Need practice in keeping shadows out of the pic's.

There are several ways you can accomplish this

1) The best way is to wait for an overcast day. Cloud coverage works like a giant softbox that makes the light softer with no or very light shadows.

2) shield the sun with someting translucent like a big white bedsheet or something.

3) Move the whole set-up to a shaded area

4) use fill flash

There are more ways, but they are more complicated.

Love your collection by the way.

[Rick]

What a doofus. He could easily have talked to you about origins and composition of the points. He could have taken a couple and looked them over while he talked about the importance of maintaining a site so it can be reviewed by professionals. He could have done all of that on a man to man basis. Not like some school master to a kid. I'll bet you hurry right back to him with the next find. I've run into guys like that from time to time and find they are more bravado than brains usually.